Idaho Company Settles False Claims Act Allegations

URS E & C Holdings Inc., a successor in interest to the global design and construction company Washington Group International Inc. (WGI), has agreed to pay $9 million to settle allegations that WGI submitted false claims in connection with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) contracts, the Justice Department announced today.

“Contractors who misrepresent their eligibility for government contracts undermine the government procurement process,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will take action to protect that process and to ensure that taxpayer funds are not misused.”

“Government contractors must be honest and forthright,” said U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson for the District of Idaho. “This settlement protects the integrity of the federal procurement process. Whether a situation involves procurement fraud, as in this case, or healthcare fraud or any other type of fraud and dishonesty, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho seeks to hold those obtaining public funds accountable.”

The settlement concerns USAID-funded contracts for the construction of water and wastewater infrastructure projects in the Arab Republic of Egypt in the 1990s. The contracts were awarded to a joint venture partnership between WGI, Contrack International Inc. (Contrack) and Misr Sons Development S.A.E. (HAS), an Egyptian company. Read More …

Need more information about the False Claims Act? Contact your nearest PTAC for more details.